HUMBOLDT — For the better part of two quarters, a highly anticipated showdown between unbeaten Humboldt and Eureka High proved up to the advance billing.
The Cubs scarcely flinched when Eureka threatened to score early in the contest, and a Trey Sommer 1-yard plunge put the Cubs on top, 6-3, with 3:50 left in the half.
But a Tornado touchdown in the waning moments of the half proved to be a harbinger of things to come.
And a cascade of missed tackles, turnovers and costly penalties proved too much for the young Cubs to overcome.
Eureka took full control in the second half to prevail, 38-6, in the Class 2A district opener for both teams.
The defeat drops Humboldt to 3-1 on the season and 0-1 in district play.
Of note, it also marks Humboldt’s first regular season loss since Oct. 20, 2017 — a span of 1,071 days over which Humboldt won 20 straight regular season contests.
Even with that success, Humboldt head coach Logan Wyrick understood the Cubs — who suit up more than a half dozen freshmen and sophomores on both sides of the ball — would have to play mistake-free football to keep pace with the talented Eureka squad.
“We preached two things all week,” Wyrick said. “Take care of the football and play good defense.”
That was easier said than done.
Eureka’s Brent Escareno picked off a Trey Sommer pass on Humboldt’s first possession of the third quarter. Five plays later, Brennen Lowe broke a tackle and danced into the end zone on a 2-yard touchdown to push the Tornadoes on top, 17-6.
Humboldt mustered a first down on its next possession before the drive stalled, giving Eureka possession at its 16.
What followed was a 14-play, 84-yard drive — all on the ground — that chewed up more than 7 minutes. Lowe’s 10-yard run early in the fourth quarter put Eureka firmly in control.
Turnovers accounted for the final two Tornado scores in the latter half of the fourth quarter.
A bad snap ended Humboldt’s next possession, leading to a 32-yard touchdown pass from Haydon Mead to Kyle Henzman. Garrison Spoonts provided the final salvo by returning an interception 35 yards for a score with 1:32 left.
Humboldt, which starts six sophomores and a freshman on defense (and five sophomores and two freshmen on offense), began to show the strain as the pressure mounted.
And the Cubs already were without the services of starting quarterback Gavin Page because of injury.
